वैशम्पायन उवाच सैन्धवैरभवद् युद्धं ततस्तस्य किरीटिनः। हतशेषैर्महाराज हतानां च सुतैरपि॥
There took place a great battle between the diadem decked Arjuna and the hundreds of Saindhavas who still lived after the destruction of their clan.
तेऽवतीर्णमुपश्रुत्य विषयं श्वेतवाहनम्। प्रत्युद्ययुरमृष्यन्तो राजानः पाण्डवर्षभम्॥
Hearing that he of white horses had entered their territories, those Kshatriyas came out against him, unable to bear that foremost one of Pandu's race.
अश्वं च तं परामृश्य विषयान्ते विषोपमाः। न भयं चक्रिरे पार्थाद् भीमसेनादनन्तरात्॥
Those warriors who were as terrible as dreadful poison, finding the horse within their dominion, seized it without being filled with any fear of Partha who was the younger brother of Bhimasena.
तेऽविदूराद् धनुष्पाणिं यज्ञियस्य हयस्य च। बीभत्सुं प्रत्यपद्यन्त पदातिनमवस्थितम्॥
Advancing against Bibhatsu who waited on foot, armed with his bow, upon the sacrificial horse, they attacked him from a near point.
ततस्ते तं महावीर्या राजानः पर्यवारयन्। जिगीषन्तो नरव्याघ्र पूर्वं विनिकृता युधि॥
Defeated in battle before, those Kshatriyas of great energy, moved by the desire of victory, surrounded that foremost of men.
ते नामान्यपि गोत्राणि कर्माणि विविधानि च। कीर्तयन्तस्तदा पार्थं शरवषैरवाकिरन्॥
Proclaiming their names and families and their various feats, they showered their arrows on Partha.
ते किरन्तः शरवातान् बारणप्रतिवारणान्। रणे जयमभीप्सन्तः कौन्तेयं पर्यवारयन्॥
Pouring showers of arrows of such fierce energy as were capable of obstructing the course of hostile elephants, those heroes surrounded the son of Kunti, desirous of defeating him in battle.
ते समीक्ष्य च तं कृष्णमुग्रकर्माणमाहवे। सर्वे ययुधिरे वीरा रथस्थास्तं पदातिनम्॥
Themselves seated on cars, they fought Arjuna of dreadful feats who was on foot,
ते तमाजन्जिरे वीरं निवातकवचान्तकम्। संशप्तकनिहन्तारं हन्तारं सैन्धवस्य च।॥
From every side they began to strike that hero, that destroyer of the Nivatakavachas, that destroyer of the Samsaptakas, that destroyer of the king of the Sindhus.
ततो रथसहस्रेण हयानामयुतेन च। कोष्ठकीकृत्य बीभत्सुं प्रहृष्टमनसोऽभवन्॥
Surrounding him on all sides as within a cage by means of a thousand cars and ten thousand horse, those brave warriors expressed their joy.
तं स्मरन्तो वधं वीरा: सिन्धुराजस्य चाहवे। जयद्रथस्य कौरव्य समरे सव्यसाचिना॥ ततः पर्जन्यवत् सर्वे शरवृष्टीरवासृजन्। तै: कीर्णः शुशुभे पार्थो रविर्मेघान्तरे यथा॥
Recollecting the destruction by Dhananjaya of Jayadratha in battle, O you of Kuru's race, they poured heavy showers of arrows on that hero like a mass of clouds showering a heavy downpour. Overwhelmed with that arrow shower, Arjuna looked like the sun covered by a cloud.
स शरैः समवच्छन्नश्चकाशे पाण्डवर्षभः। पञ्जरान्तरसंचारी शकुन्त इव भारत॥
That foremost son of Pandu, in the midst of that cloud of arrows, resembled a bird in the midst of an iron cage, O Bharata.
ततो हाहाकृतं सर्वं कौन्तेये शरपीडिते। त्रैलोक्यमभवद् राजन् रविरासीच्च निष्प्रभः॥
Seeing the son of Kunti thus afflicted with arrows, cries of oh and alas were uticred by the three worlds, and the Sun himself became shorn of his splendour.
ततो ववौ महाराज मारुतो लोमहर्षणः। राहुरग्रसदादित्यं युगपत् सोममेव च॥
Then, O king, a terrible wind began to blow, and Rahu swallowed up both the Sun and the Moon simultaneously.
उल्काश्च जधिरे सूर्यं विकीर्यन्त्यः समन्ततः। वेपथुश्चाभवद् राजन् कैलासस्य महागिरेः॥
Many meteors struck the solar disc and then shot in different directions. The prince of mountains, viz., Kailasa, began to tremble.
मुमुचुः श्वासमत्युष्णं दुःखशोकसमन्विताः। सप्तर्षयो जातभयास्तथा देवर्षयोऽपि च॥
The seven (celestial) Rishis, as also the other Rishis of Heaven, stricken with fear, and afflicted with grief and sorrow, breathed hot sights.
शशं चाशु विनिर्भिद्य मण्डलं शशिनोऽपतत्। विपरीता दिशश्चापि सर्वा धूमाकुलास्तथा॥
Piercing through the sky, those meteors fell on the Lunar disc as well. All the points of the compass became filled with smoke and assumed a strange aspect.
रासभारुणसंकाशा धनुष्मन्तः सविद्युतः। आवृत्य गगनं मेघा मुमुचुर्मोसशोणितम्॥
Reddish clouds, with flashes of lightning laying in their midst and the bow of Indra measuring them from side to side, suddenly covered the sky and poured flesh and bloods on the Earth.
एवमासीत् तदा वीरे शरवर्षेण संवृते। फाल्गुने भरतश्रेष्ठ तद्युतमिवाभवत्।॥
Such was the aspect which all nature assumed when that hero was overwhelmed with showers of arrows. Indeed, when Phalguna, that foremost one among the Bharatas, was thus afflicted, those marvels were witnessed.
तस्य तेनावकीर्णस्य शरजालेन सर्वतः। मोहात् पपात गाण्डीवमावापश्च करादपि।॥
Overwhelmed by that dense cloud of arrows, Arjuna became stupefied. The bow, Gandiva, fell down from his relaxed grip and his leathern hence also dropped down.
तस्मिन् मोहमनुप्राप्ते शरजालं महत् तदा। सैन्धवा मुमुचुस्तूर्णं गतसत्त्वे महारथे॥
When Dhananjaya became stupefied, the Saindhava warriors once more shot forthwith at that senseless warrior, numberless other arrOWS.
ततो मोहसमापन्नं ज्ञात्वा पार्थं दिवौकसः। सर्वे वित्रस्तमनसस्तस्य शान्तिकृतोऽभवन्॥
Understanding that the son of Pritha was insensible, the celestials, with hearts stricken with fear, began to seek his well-being by uttering various benedictions.
ततो देवर्षयः सर्वे तथा सप्तर्षयोऽपि च। ब्रह्मर्षयश्च विजयं जेपुः पार्थस्य धीमतः॥
Then the celestial Rishis, the seven Rishis, and the twice-born Rishis, became engaged in silent recitations from desire of giving victory to the highly intelligent son of Pritha's.
ततः प्रदीपिते देवैः पार्थतेजसि पार्थिव। तस्थावचलवद् धीमान् संग्रामे परमास्त्रवित्॥
When at last the energy of Partha blazed forth through those deeds of the dwellers of the celestial region, that hero, who was conversant with celestial weapons of great efficacy, stood immovable like a hill.
विचकर्ष धनुर्दिव्यं ततः कौरवनन्दनः। यन्त्रस्येवेह शब्दोऽभून्महांस्तस्य पुनः पुनः॥
The delighter of the Kurus then drew his celestial bow. And as he repeatedly stretched the bowstring, the twang that followed resembled the loud sound of some strong machine.
ततः स शरवर्षाणि प्रत्यमित्रान् प्रति प्रभुः। ववर्ष धनुषा पार्थो वर्षाणीव पुरंदरः॥
Like Purandara pouring rain, the powerful Arjuna then, with that bow of his, poured incessant showers of arrows on his enemies.
ततस्ते सैन्धवा योधाः सर्व एव सराजकाः। नादृश्यन्त शरैः कीर्णाः शलभैरिव पादपाः॥
Pierced by those arrows, the Saindava warriors with their cuels became invisible like trees covered with locusts.
तस्य शब्देन वित्रेसुर्भयार्ताश्च विदुद्रुवुः । मुमुचुश्चाश्रु शोकार्ताः शुशुचुश्चापि सैन्धवाः॥
Terror-stricken at the very sound of Gandiva and filled with consternation they fled away. In grief of hear they shed tears and cried aloud.
तांस्तु सर्वान् नरव्याघ्रः सैन्धवान् व्यचरत् बली। अलातचक्रवद् राजशरजालैः समार्पयत्॥
The powerful warrior moved a midst that host of enemies with the celerity of a fiery wheel, all the time piercing those warriors with his arrows.
तदिन्द्रजालप्रतिम बाणजालममित्रहा। विसृज्य दिक्षु सर्वासु महेन्द्र इव वज्रभृत्॥
Like the great Indra, the holder of the thunder-bolt, that destroyer of enemies viz., Arjuna, shot from his bow in every direction that shower of arrows which resembled a sight produced by magic.
मेघजालनिभं सैन्यं विदार्य शरवृष्टिभिः। विबभौ कौरवश्रेष्ठः शरदीव दिवाकरः॥
The Kaurava hero, piercing the hostile army with showers of arrows looked resplendent like the autumnal Sun when he disperses the clouds with his powerful rays. once